Folding table



. Mayh 2o, 1934. R B, SEWARDy 1,951,884

FOLDING TABLE Fild July 7, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR W. Bm z M,

.; ATTORNEYS March 20, 1934.

Y'R. B. SEWARD *A FOLDING TABLE Filed July?, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet '2` INVENTOR same Fig. 3 represents a detail bottom plan view on LPatented Mar. l2o', 1934 FOLDING TABLE Robert B. Seward,

Guilford, Conn., assignor to Ferguson Brothers Manufacturing Company, Hoboken, N. J., a. corporation of New Jersey Application July 7, 1931, serial No. 549,146

' 1o claims. (0145-11) The object of my invention is to provide simple, effective and positively operating means whereby the folding and unfolding of one of the legs of a folding table will impart corresponding movements to the other table legs.

A further object is to provide simple and effective means for releasably locking the legs in their unfolded and, if it is so desired, in their folded positions.

My invention broadly comprises the utilization of rocking members pivoted to the table top, which members are operatively connected together and also to the legs for ensuring the simultaneous folding and unfolding movement of the legs. I

My invention more specifically comprises slidable members which are mounted on the table top, which sliding members are connected at their ends to rocking members and also connected by links to their respective legs. n

`Practical embodiments of my invention are represented in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 represents a folding table in detail side elevation with one of my embodiments applied thereto;

Fig. 2 represents a bottom a larger scale, showing another embodiment of my invention; and

Fig. 4 represents a similar view showing a thir embodiment of my invention.

The table top of the folding table is denoted by 1 and its boundary frame side rails by 2. Each of the folding legs 3 may be pivoted in the usual manner to the under side of the tabletop at the corner thereof.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 each side rail 2 has a groove 4 extending along its inner side within'which groove a member 5 is slidably mounted, which member may be a bar of some suitable rigid material. A rocking member which is herein shown as a bell crank lever is pivoted at 6 to th'e under side ofthe table top 1 at each corner thereof, the arm 7 of which lever operatively engages the adjacent end of one of the sliding members 5 and the arm 8 of which lever Soperatively engages the adjacent end of another of said sliding members. These sliding members are operatively connected to their respective legs 3 by links 9 which form braces for the legs when the legs are moved into their unfolded positions. l

A releasable/lo'cking means is provided for the legs, which means in the present instance is operable to lock the legs in both their folded and unfolded positions and comprises a spring pressed sliding bar 10 having a hook 11 which engages the notch 12 in one of the sliding members for plan view of the` locking the iegs in their fo1dea position, and a.

notch 13 in the said member for locking the legs in their unfolded position. This bar may be prov`ded with a suitable operating handle 14 exterior to the table top.

In the form shown in Fig. 3 the sliding members l5 are mounted in shallow grooves 16 along the under side of the tabletop adjacent the side rails 2. The rocking members are pivoted at 17 to the under side of the table top at the corners thereof. Their corresponding arms 19 operatively engage the adjacent end of one sliding member and their corresponding arms 20 operatively engage the adjacent end of another sliding member. Links 21 operatively connect the sliding members with their respective legs, which links serve to act as braces for the legs when in their unfolded position. pressed locking bar is denoted by 22 and it has a hook 23 which engages an eye 24 in one of the sliding members to hold the legs in their folded posit-'on and an eye 25 in said member for locking the legs intheir unfolded position, This bar 22 may also have a suitable operating handle 14 exterior to the table top.

In the form shown in Fig. 4 the rocking members are pivoted at 25* to the under side of the table top at its corners and their corresponding arms 26 are connected to adjacent ends of sliding bars 28 and their corresponding arms 27 are connected to adjacent ends of said sliding bars 28. Links 30 serve to operatively connect the sliding bars 28 with their respective legs and serve as braces Afor the legs when they are in their unfolded position. In this form the spring pressedlocking bar 31 has a hook 32 which engages an eye 33 on one ofthe sliding bars 28 In this form the spring for locking the legs in their folded position and an eye 34 in said bar to lock the legs in their unfolded position.

In all of these forms it will be seen that I have provided means whereby the movement of one of the legs will positively impart corresponding movements to the remaining legs; the means at the same time being very simple and inexpensive to manufacture and apply, without rearrangement of the pivotal connections of the legs with the table top, the permanent `diagonal braces for the legs being retained so that the legs in their unfolded positions will be braced in two directions.

It is evident that various changes may be resorted to in the construction, form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not intend to be limited to the particular embodiments herein shown and described, but

What I claim is:-

l1. In a folding table, legs foldable around the table top, means whereby the lmovement of one leg will impart corresponding movements to the other legs, comprising rocking members pivoted to the table top at the corners thereof and endwise moving substantially rigid members connecting the rocking members, and releasable spring actuated means connected directly to an endwise movable member for holding the legs atI the limits of their movements.

2. In a folding table, legs foldable around the table top, meanswhereby the movement of one leg will impart corresponding movements to the other legs, comprising rocking members pivoted to the table top at the corners thereof and endwise moving members connecting the rocking members, and releasable means for holding the legs at the limits of their movements, said releasable means comprising a spring and a member actuated thereby directly connected to an endwise movable member.

3. In a folding table, a table top having boundary frame side rails, legs foldable around the table top, and means whereby the movement of one leg will impart corresponding movements to the other legs, comprising rocking members pivoted to the table top at the corners thereof and endwise moving members connecting the rocking members, and releasable spring actuated means mounted on a table top side rail and connected directly to an endwise movable member for holding the legs at the limits of their movements.

d. In a folding table, a table top having boundary frame side rails, legs foldable around the table top, means whereby the movement of one leg will impart corresponding movements to the other legs, comprising rocking members pivoted to the table top at the corners thereof and endwise moving members connecting the rocking members, and releasable means for holding the legs at the limits of their movements, said releasable means comprising a spring and a member actuated thereby mounted on a table top side rail, the spring actuated member being directly connected to an endwise moving member.

5. In a folding table, a table top having boundary frame side rails, legs foldable around the table top, means whereby the movement of one leg will impart corresponding movements to the other legs, comprising rocking members pivoted to the under side of the table top at the corners thereof and endwise moving members connecting the rocking members, and releasable means for holding the legs at the limits of their movements, said releasable means 'comprising a spring and a member actuated thereby mounted on a table top side rail, the spring actuated member having an element projected inwardly away from the inner face of the side rail into position to engage an endwise moving member.

6. In a folding table, a table top having boundary frame side rails, legs foldable around the table top, means whereby the movement of one leg will impart corresponding movements to the other legs, comprising bell crank levers pivoted to the under side of the table top at the corners thereof and endwise moving members connecting said bell crank levers, and releasable means for holding the legs at the limits of their movements, said releasable means comprising a spring mounted on a table top side rail, a member also mounted on said rail, said last named member being engaged by the spring so as to be inuenced thereby and having a part projecting inwardly away from the inner face of the side rail and tted for interlocking engagement with the adjacent endwise moving member, and a manually voperable element tted to move the spring against its normal effort.

7. In a folding table, a table top having boundary frame side railsv provided with grooves extending along their inner faces, legs foldable around the table top and push-pull means whereby the movement of one of the legs in either direction will impart a corresponding movement to the other legs, said means comprising rocking members pivoted to the table top at the corners thereof and endwise moving substantially rigid members sliding in said grooves and having pushpull connections at both ends with their respective rocking members, and links pivoted to their respective legs and endwise moving members.

8. In a folding table, a table top having boundary frame side rails provided with grooves extending along their inner faces, legs foldable around the table top and push-pull means whereby the movement of one of the legs in either direction will impart a corresponding movement to the other legs, said means comprising rocking members pivoted to the table top at the corners thereof and endwise moving substantially rigid members sliding in said grooves and having push-pull connections at both ends with their respective rocking members, links pivoted to their respective legs and endwise moving members and means `for releasably locking the legs.

9. In a folding table, a table top having boundary frame side rails, legs foldable around the table top, means whereby the movement of `one leg Will impart corresponding movements to the other legs, comprising bell crank levers pivoted to the under side of the table top at the corners thereof and endwise moving members connecting said bell crank levers, and releasable means for holding the legs at the limits of their movements, said releasable means comprising a spring mounted on a table top side rail, a member also mounted on said rail, said last named member being engaged by the spring so as to be influenced thereby and having a part projecting inwardly away from the inner face of the side rail and fitted to enter an aperture in the endwise moving member at a point adjacent an arm of a said bell crank lever, and a manually operable element supported by the side rail and fitted to move the spring against its normal effort.

10. In a folding table, a table top having boundary frame side rails, legs foldable around the table top, means whereby the movement of one leg will impart corresponding movements to the other legs, said last named means including bell crank leverspivoted to the under side of the table top at the corners thereof and e`ndwise moving members connecting said bell crank levers, and releasable means for holding the legs extended, said releasable means including an element projecting inwardly from a side rail and connecting with a said endwise moving member at a point adjacent a said bell crank ROBERT B. SEWARD.

DISCLAIMER 1,951,884.-Robert B. Seward, Guilford, Conn. FOLDING TABLE. Patent dated Mal-ch 20, 1934. Disclaimer filed April 23, 1936, by the assignee, Ferguson Brothers Manufacturing Company. Hereby enters this disclalmer to claims 6, 9, and 10 in said specification.

[Oicfial Gazette May 12, 1936.] 

